CVE-2018-12096
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe liblnk_data_string_get_utf8_string_size function in liblnk_data_string.c in liblnk through 2018-04-19 allows remote attackers to cause an information disclosure (heap-based buffer over-read) via a crafted lnk file. NOTE: the vendor has disputed this as described in libyal/liblnk issue 33 on GitHub
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceThe liblnk_data_string_get_utf8_string_size function in liblnk library contains a heap-based buffer over-read vulnerability. When processing a crafted .lnk file, the function fails to properly validate buffer bounds before reading, allowing an attacker to read adjacent heap memory and leak sensitive information. The vendor disputes the severity of this finding.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 20180419CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Locate the liblnk library in the environmentSearch for liblnk shared objects (e.g., liblnk.so, liblnk.dll) or static libraries (liblnk.a) in common library directories such as /usr/lib, /usr/local/lib, or within application bundling directories. Use commands like 'find / -name "*lnk*" -type f 2>/dev/null' on Linux or search appropriate paths on Windows.Affected if The liblnk library file exists on the system and its version is 20180419 or earlier.
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Identify the installed liblnk versionCheck the library file's version metadata. On Linux, run 'strings liblnk.so | grep -i version' or examine the file's properties. If liblnk is part of an application bundle, check the application's included libraries. Compare the discovered version string to the affected range (<= 20180419).Affected if The version string resolves to 20180419 or any earlier date-based version.
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Determine if applications use liblnk to parse .lnk filesReview running processes or application dependencies that handle Windows shortcut (.lnk) files. Check application logs, documentation, or source code for references to liblnk functions, particularly 'liblnk_data_string_get_utf8_string_size'. Search process memory or loaded modules for liblnk usage.Affected if An application or service actively loads and uses liblnk to process .lnk files.
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Inspect recent .lnk file processing activityReview system or application logs for entries related to .lnk file parsing. Check for any evidence that untrusted or user-supplied .lnk files have been processed recently. Examine any sandbox, antivirus, or EDR logs that may have captured suspicious .lnk file operations.Affected if Untrusted .lnk files from external or unverified sources have been processed by a liblnk-dependent application.
The environment is affected if liblnk version 20180419 or earlier is present AND an application uses it to process .lnk files, particularly from untrusted sources.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpdate to the latest version of liblnk if a patch is available, or implement bounds checking in the liblnk_data_string_get_utf8_string_size function to prevent over-read. Sanitize or avoid processing untrusted .lnk files until the issue is resolved.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation3.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2018-12096 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2018-12096 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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